Gyroscopic toy



H. B. GROW Jan. 30, 1968 GYROSCOPIC TOY Filed Oct. 19, 1965 4 e 65 3 L22 3.0 a & 5 2 m/ m 8}!\ 9 L INVENTOR, Her/o w 5. Grow ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent 3,365,835 GYROSCOPIC TOY Harlow B. Grow, 16530 ChattanoogaPlace, Pacific Palisades, Calif. 90272 Filed Oct. 19, 1965, Ser. No.497,843 8 Claims. (Cl. 46-50) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This inventionrelates to a gyroscopic toy and starter therefor wherein increasedrotational speeds are obtainable for operation over extended lengths oftime, and wherein a separable motor drive is cooperatively andreleasably coupled to and initiates operation of the toy.

Gyroscopic toys as heretofore constructed have a rotor fixed to aspindle journaled at its ends in an open case. For safety, the rotor isof large diameter, to function at low speed so that if the fingers orhand should make contact with the rotor, the only result is to stop therotary action. Consequently, such gyroscopic toys are quite limitedinuse because of the relatively slow speed of the rotor. If the rotors aremade to rotate at higher speed, such toys are dangerous and difficult tostart.

The object of the present invention is to provide a toy havinggyroscopic action which is not so restricted, but which may be safelyoperated at higher speed and for a longer period of time. This isaccomplished by the provision of a high speed rotor and enclosing therotor in a closed casing sufficiently strong to retain safely the rotortherein. It is obvious that such a rotor will be more difficult to startand to bring up to its operating speed, and therefore, the presentinvention also provides the toy with self contained means fortransmitting power of an external force, such as an electric motor.

While it is to be understood that the invention is adaptable to varioustypes of toys and the like requiring gyroscopic action, the invention isdescribed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in the form of agyroscopic top, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through a gyroscopic top incorporating thefeatures of the present invention, and showing an external power meanssuch as a motor equipped with a driver for connection with a means inthe top to start the gyroscope, the gyroscopic top being illustrated inposition ready to be engaged by the driving member on the motor.

FIG. 2 is a similar sectional view through the top, showing the drivingengagement with the mechanism to rotate the rotor.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section of the top and motor, showing a modifiedform of driving connection.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the parts of the driven mechanism in thetop, in disasembled, spaced relation with respect to the driving memberof the motor.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a gyroscopic toy in the form of a top containing agyroscopic mechanism 2 which includes a wheel or rotor 3-having anannular rim 4 of considerable mass that is connected with a central hub5 by spokes or disks 6. The hub 5 is fixed to a shaft or spindle 7having pointed ends 8 and 9 to journal the shaft in bearings 10 and 11.

In accordance with the present invention the gyroscopic mechanism 2 isenclosed within a closed casing 12, preferably formed of plastic, andwhich in the illustrated instance includes hollow cones 13 and 14 havingdiverging walls 15 and 16 with their base pen'meters 17 suitablyconnected together, for example by an adhesive 18, to form a unitarycasing having a chamber 19 for containing the gyroscopic mechanism.

3,385,835 Patented Jan. 30, 1968 The bearings 10 and 11 are preferablyformed of a hard wear-resistant material and have conical bearingsockets 20 and 21 to journal therein the pointed ends 8 and 9 of theshaft 7. The bearing 10 is bedded within the apical portion of the cone13 by an insert 22 fixed to the material of the cone or forming anintegral part thereof. The bearing 11 is of similar construction, butthe exterior thereof is preferably cylindrical in shape, in that it isto be slidably retained in a support member 23 which also serves as aninternal driving member to rotate the gyroscopic mechanism.

The member 23 has a cylindrical body 24 that is slidably and rotatablyretained in a neck portion 25 of the cone 14 and Which is formed as acontinuation of the wall 16 of the cone 14.

The neck portion has a through bore of a circumference 26 to slidablyengage the cylindrical surface 26' of the member 23 and support themember 23 therein. The open end 27 of the bore is encircled by anannular inwardly extending stop flange 28 to prevent outwarddisplacement of the member 23, but the flange 28 leaves ample opening toadmit of a driving mmeber 29 of a motor 30. The innermost end of thecylindrical member has an axial bore 31 terminating in a seat 32 for theend of a coil spring 33 to support the bearing member 11 slidably in thebore in position to seat the pointed end 9 of the shaft 8 in the socket21. The spring also supports the gyroscopic mechanism 2 and retains thepointed end 8 of the shaft 7 journaled within the socket 20 of thebearing member 10.

It is obvious that since the bearing 11 is slidable freely within thebore 31 of the member 23, and since the member 23 is backed by theflange 28, the weight of the gyrosopic mechanism is carried upon thespring 33. However, the spring 33 has sufiicient strength to retain thepointed ends 8 and 9 of the shaft 7 constantly journaled in the bearings10 and 11. It is also obvious that the member 23 may be moved from itsseat upon the stop flange 28 compressing the spring 33 to effect adriving connection with the gyroscopic mechanism, as now to bedescribed.

The annular face 34 of the member 23 which encircles the bore 31constitutes a frictional driving face to engage frictionally a face 35on the disk member 36 that is rigidly connected with the shaft 7 inaligning registry with the annular driving face 34 to rotate thegyroscopic mechanism when the member 23 is displaced from its seatingflange 28 by the driving member 29 on the motor 30.

The driving connection between the member 29 and the member 23 may be byfriction or by a positive connection such as shown in FIG. 3. In theform shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the face 37 of the member 23 constitutesa friction face that frictionally connects with a complementary face 38on the member 29.

In the modified form, the member 23 has a socket 39 provided with flatfaces 40 to engage the flat faces 41 on the driving shaft 42 of themotor.

The casing 12 may be provided with vent openings 43 if required. Suchopenings may be relatively small, since their only purpose is to allowair to pass into and out of the casing.

In assembling the top as described, the spring 33 is inserted in thebore 31 of the member 23 to engage the seat 32, after which the bearingmember 11 is inserted in the open upper end of the bore 31 to seat onthe spring 33. The assembly is then inserted in the bore 26 of the cone14 through the open base thereof prior to application of the other cone13. In seated position, the member 23 engages the stop flange 28 so thatit is supported thereby. The gyroscopic assembly, including the wheel orrotor 3 and shaft 7 with the friction disk 36 fixed thereto, is insertedthrough the open base of the cone 14 so that the point 9 on the shaftseats within the socket 21 of the bearing member 11. The cone 13 withthe bearing member fixed therein is inverted over the perimeter 17 ofthe cone 14 so that the walls 15 and 16 are in abutting registry to besecured together by the adhesive 18. After assembly, the gyroscopicmechanism is journaled in the bearings 1t and 11 with the spring 33taking up any play and retaining the points 8 and 9 of the shaftjournaled in the sockets 20 and 21. The gyroscopic mechanism is now freeto turn within the chamber 19 when it is started by the motor 30.

In starting the gyroscopic mechanism, the top is grasped in the hand andpositioned with the open end 27 of the neck in axial registry with thedriving member 29 on the motor shaft, so that the open end of the neck25 passes over the driving member 29 of the motor to engage the face 37of the member 23 with the face 38 of the driving member on the motor.With downward pressure applied to the casing, the neck 25 thereon startsto slide on the member 23 to compress the spring 33 and bring theannular driving face 34 thereof into contact with the friction face 35of the disk 36.

With the motor in operation, the driving member 29 rotates the member23, and the member 23 rotates the disk 36, to start rotation of thegyroscopic rotor or wheel. The shaft 7 will turn in its bearings 10 and11, since the proper support pressure is maintained by the spring 33.The bearing 11 may or may not turn during the time the power is applied.When the motor 30 has brought the rotor up to speed, the top iswithdrawn from the driving member 29, whereupon the member 23 movesdownwardly under the action of the spring 33, to again seat on the stopflange 28, where it is retained during normal operation of thegyroscopic mechanism.

Itis to be noted that the bearing 11 does not move in relation to theshaft during the starting operation or during return of the member 23 toseated position after the gyroscopic mechanism has been brought up tospeed. When the member 23 is in its seated position, with the gyro wheel4 turning, the member 23 will not be in rotation. The bearing 11 willalso be at rest. if desired, the bearing member 11 may be slidably keyedwithin the the member 23.

If desired, the driving connection with the motor shaft may be of apositive type, as disclosed in FIG. 3, wherein the motor shaft 42 iscaused to enter the socket 39 with the fiat sides 41 engaging the flatfaces of the socket.

Since the casing formed by the cones 13 and 14 completely encloses thegyroscopic mechanism, it is impossible for the operator to make contactwith the rotating wheel or interfere with rotation thereof. Also, shouldthere be a failure because of bursting of the rotating wheel, partscannot fly outwardly to do damage, because they will be retained withinthe casing 12. By this arrangement, a wheel of higher speed can be used.

What -I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A gyroscopic toyto be started by external power, said gyroscopic toy including a casinghaving an entrance opening to admit a rotary driving member of anexternal power means,

a gyro rotor in the casing,

a shaft carrying the gyro rotor,

a bearing fixed within the casing in axial alignment with the entranceopening for journaling one end of the shaft,

an internal driving member within the casing in registry with saidopening and having a seat on a part of the casing and adapted to beunseated by the driving member of the power means when said drivingmember is projected through said opening to rotate the internal drivingmember,

a bearing slidably carried in the axis of the internal 4 driving memberfor journaling the other end of the shaft, and

a driven member fixed to the shaft and driven by the internal drivingmember when the internal driving member is actuated by the drivingmember on said external power means.

2. A gyroscopic toy as described in claim 1,

and including a spring between the last named bearing member and theinternal driving member for yieldingly supporting said last namedbearing member and for disengaging the internal driving member fordriving contact with the driven member on said shaft.

3. A gyroscopic toy to be started by external power as described inclaim 1,

in which the casing provides a top.

4. A gyroscopic toy to be started by external power,

said gyroscopic toy including a casing having an entrance opening toadmit a rotary driving member of an external power means,

a gyro rotor in the casing,

a shaft carrying the gyro rotor,

a bearing fixed within the casing in axial alignment with the entranceopening for journaling one end of the shaft,

an internal driving member slidable and rotatable within the casing inregistry with said opening and having a seat on a part of the casing andadapted to be unseated by the driving member of the power means whensaid driving member is projected through said opening to rotate theinternal driving member,

a bearing slidably carried by the internal driving member for journalingthe other end of the shaft,

a spring having one end engaging a seat on the internal driving memberfor resiliently supporting said last named bearing and for yieldinglyretaining the internal driving member on its seat, and

a driven member fixed to the shaft in spaced relation with the internaldriving member to be rotatably engaged by the internal driving memberwhen the internal driving member is unseated by the driving member ofsaid external power means.

5. A gyroscopic toy to be started by external power as described inclaim 4,

in which the internal driving member has a frictional face contacted bya frictional face on the driving member of said external power means.

6. A gyroscopic toy to be started by external power as described inclaim 4,

in which the internal driving member has a positive connection forconnection with the driving member of said external power means.

7. A gyroscopic toy to be started by external power as described inclaim 4,

wherein said casing includes a neck portion having a through bore toprovide said insert opening and the internal driving member is slidablyand rotatably contained in said bore of the neck portion.

8. A gyroscopic toy to be started by external power as described inclaim 4,

wherein the internal driving member has an axial bore for containing thespring whereby the internal driving member moves over the springsupported bearing for limiting thrust on said shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1962 Poticha 4650 X 3/1963Hellman 46-243

